If I Needed Someone
by SofiaSofia
Summary: Tessa Goode had no idea what she was in for when she became Paul McCartney's best friend at nine-years-old. When he introduces her to his friend George how will that turn out? Growing up, falling in love, Tessa's got it all down. She thinks?


A/N: Well everybody, here's Sofia's VERY FIRST EVER STORY! Haha, hope you like:)

Every morning, for as long as she could remember, Tessa Goode had woken up to the sounds of screaming coming from the house directly to the right of hers. Occupying the house in question was Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson, a couple in their sixties with two boys off in college. The couple couldn't get along for the life of them, and made a point of letting the whole neighborhood know. Loudly.

One morning however, when Tessa was nine years old, she awoke to the sound of... nothing. Complete silence. Puzzled, Tessa hurried outside to make sure no one had died. When she had gotten outside and around the white picket fence separating the two properties, Tessa saw that the house was completely empty. Mr. Donaldson's car wasn't in the driveway, Mrs. Donaldson's owl collection wasn't staring at her from the upstairs window and their eldest son Jimmy's brown working boots weren't on the front porch.

Oh no! thought Tessa. Someone's kidnapped the Donaldson's!

Alarmed at the idea, Tessa ran inside to find her mother. Her mother always knew what to do.

"Mummy, mummy!" she wailed, bursting into the Goode family's kitchen where her mother was cooking breakfast.

"Mummy, someone has kidnapped the Donaldson's!"

Helen Goode put the skillet she was flipping pancakes with down on the stove and looked at her youngest daughter.

"What?" she asked, confused. Tessa burst into tears and her mother's alarm only increased.

"I woke up today and didn't hear anyone yelling, so I ran outside to go check on Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson and make sure they were okay. When I got to their house it was completely empty though! Not even their stuff was still there!"

Tessa flew into her mother's arms and starting sobbing even harder. Sure, she didn't like Mr. Donaldson because he always yelled at her for playing in his yard. And she didn't like Mrs. Donaldson, who always told her she wasn't behaving like a proper lady should. Not to mention, their sons Jimmy and Pete were the most stuck-up boys ever. But that didn't mean she wanted them kidnapped!

To Tessa's alarm, her mother began to chuckle. Helen was chuckling so hard in fact, that she couldn't even hug Tessa anymore.

"Mummy!" exclaimed Tessa. The little girl was horrified. "Why are you laughing? We should be calling the police!"

That only seemed to make Mrs. Goode laugh harder. "Sweetheart,"she finally got out. "The Donaldson's haven't been kidnapped. They've only moved to Walton!"

Tessa jumped back as if she had been electrocuted. "Moved? Well why on earth didn't anybody tell me!"

Mrs. Goode attempted to calm down and answer Tessa. "I'm sorry dear," she explained. "I didn't think you would be so affected by it. A new family is moving in tomorrow morning. Maybe they'll have a little girl your age you can be friends with!"

A friend? Tessa had to admit, the idea was appealing. She didn't have many friends, or any at all really, only acquaintances and her little brother Charlie. Tessa didn't know why, and only could come up with the conclusion that she wasn't pretty enough.

Tessa had too many freckles, was too skinny, and too tall. Nothing on her looked right. All the other girls were so pretty, with their perfect ringlets, perfect dresses and perfect personalities. Tessa didn't think she would ever be like that.

If somebody moved in next door to her, they would have to like her though, wouldn't they? Tessa imagined that they would spend every minute together, and that the little girl would like all the same things she did. Her name would be Bonnie, and she would have really pretty blonde hair. Bonnie would always come up with the best ideas for games, and all the other girls would want to play with her. But Bonnie would only ever want to play with Tessa, because they would be best friends.

When Tessa's family came down for breakfast, they all noticed something different about the little girl. She couldn't sit still, and had trouble finishing her pancakes, even though they were her favorite.

"I bet it's a boy," Tessa's oldest sister Josie announced during breakfast. "Tessa has her first crush."

"What?" exclaimed Tessa loudly. "Eew! Boys are gross!"

"Hey!" came little Charlie from his chair. He could hardly see the table. "I am not gross."

"Well," Tessa amended. "Maybe not you. But all the other boys are."

Mr. Goode agreed. "Teresa is much too young to be thinking about boys," he told Josie crossly. "As a matter of fact, so are you, Josephine."

Mrs. Goode tutted at her husband as Josie turned beet red. "Bill," Helen said disapprovingly. "Josie is twelve years old. She can think about boys as long as she doesn't date them for another year."

Kathy, Tessa's other older sister, spoke up. "Daddy, Josie doesn't date boys. She was just teasing Tessa. Anyway, I don't think Tessa's nervous about a boy. You're right, she is too young for that. I bet it's about school coming up. Only one more month! Aren't you excited, Tessa?"

Before Tessa could answer (with a resounding 'NO!'), Kathy went on. "I know I am. I have been dying to see Franny..."

Tessa zoned out during her sister's boring monologue. There were some facts about Bonnie that she hadn't considered. For one, what if Bonnie didn't like her? Nobody else seemed to, so why should Bonnie be any different?

There was also the probability that Tessa wouldn't like Bonnie. Was all Bonnie cared about growing up like her sisters? Did she never want to play games and have fun? What if Bonnie wasn't even real? What if the family didn't have a daughter? What if they were mean? Meaner than the Donaldson's? Would they shout at each other as well?

Tessa became so caught up in her thoughts she didn't even notice it when her mother tried speaking with her.

'Tessa? Tessa, love? Are you alright?" Helen hovered over her youngest daughter, worry etched onto her face. Tessa snapped back into it.

"I'm alright Mummy," she reassured Mrs. Goode. "I only wasn't paying any attention. I'm worried about the family that's moving in next door, see."

Josie looked up from her plate, suddenly interested in the conversation. "The new family that is replacing the Donaldson's? I was talking to Mrs. Donaldson last week and she told me all about them. What are you worried about?"

Tessa's heart skipped a beat and she bounced up out of her chair. "You know about them?" she questioned her elder sister eagerly. "Do you know if they have a daughter? One my age?"

Josie shook her head. "All I got out of her was that the mum is a midwife, the father is a cotton salesman and they have two children. I'm not sure how old they are or if they are around your age."

Tessa was a little disappointed, but she still hoped that the family included a little girl around her age. Preferably one named Bonnie.

The next morning, Tessa sprang out of bed earlier than usual. She could tell it was earlier than usual because it was still dark outside and she couldn't hear her mother cooking downstairs.

The only thing going through Tessa's mind was that this was the day the new family was moving in, and she had to make sure everything was perfect.

Tessa tip-toed past her parent's room, making sure to be real quiet and to not wake up her mother. Rule number one in the Goode household was that you never woke up Mrs. Goode. She would always wake up when she's good and ready, which is usually before everyone else anyway.

Once past the room, she walked on normally past Josie and Kathy's room, which they shared. Charlie's was on the other end of the hall, and that was where Tessa was headed.

When she got there, Tessa found Charlie curled up in a ball, fast asleep. His red hair was ruffled and he had on his airplane footie pajamas, which he told everyone he had grown out of but everyone knew he hadn't really anyway.

"Charlie," Tessa whispered urgently. "Wake up!"

Charlie stirred a little, but made no move to wake up. Tessa shook him harder. "Charlie!" she kept on whispering, over and over. "Charlie, Charlie!"

Finally, Charlie's eyes opened slightly and took in his surroundings lazily. He yawned. "What?"

"Today is the day that our new neighbors are moving in!" Tessa told him excitedly. She expected a much bigger reaction than what came next.

"So?"

Tessa was shocked. "So? So! So, don't want to see them?"

Charlie closed his eyes again. "What's the point? Mummy's only going to make us give them a gift basket tomorrow anyway... we can see them then."

"But I want to see them today," she whined urgently. "Please Charlie?"

It was no use to Tessa however. Charlie had already fallen back asleep.

"Stupid brothers," Tessa muttered to herself. She would have to see the new family by herself.

"Hi, Daddy," Tessa greeted her father as she walked downstairs into the living room. "How are you?"

Bill Goode looked up from his newspaper, surprised. "Teresa? What are you doing up already?"

"I wanted to see our new neighbors," Tessa bubbled. "Do you think they're here yet?"

"Sweetie, I highly doubt that they're moving in at..." Bill checked his watch. "At six in the morning. Why don't you go back to sleep and we'll see if they're here after breakfast?"

Tessa sighed, defeated. "I won't be able to go back asleep now, I've been awake too long. I'll just read."

Tessa read until eight when her mother came downstairs to start cooking. Mrs. Goode was still in her long, white nightgown and her normally elegant dark hair was messy. Tessa couldn't help but giggle. She had never seen her mother like this before.

Mrs. Goode cooked breakfast and gradually, people started coming down. It wasn't until eleven however, almost lunch time, that Tessa heard the moving van.

Tessa was aimlessly plucking away at Josie's violin, not really knowing what she was doing. Josie and Kathy were out with friends, which was the only reason Tessa was allowed to play the instrument.

"Tessa!" Mrs. Goode called. "I think the new neighbors are here. Why don't you go on over and say hello?"

Tessa's stomach flipped in a mix of excitement and nervousness. She really hoped they would have a friend for her. Charlie was awfully boring sometimes, and still took an afternoon nap.

Once outside, Tessa suddenly became very shy about meeting the new neighbors. Suppose they were busy and didn't have time for her? But she was still really curious, so she decided to look on at them through the peep-hole she knew was in the white picket-fence.

Tessa peered through the peep-hole and let out a sigh of disappointment. She could only see the family's legs, but from what she saw, there was only an adult woman in a rather severe navy blue dress, and a little boy with knobby knees.

"Paul," the woman said sternly. "Did you steal Mike's toy?"

The boy, Paul, was indignant. "No," he insisted firmly. "Mike probably just lost it in the move."

"Oh?" the woman cocked a hip. "Let me see what's behind your back, then."

Interestingly, the woman spoke the Queen's English, instead of their own Liverpudlian accent. Still, it somehow sounded wrong, as if not quite the same, and I realized that she still had a Liverpudlian undertone.

"No!" Paul exclaimed. "I don't have it!"

"Paul!" the woman was losing her patience. "Show me what's behind yer back!"

Tessa noticed that the woman, probably Paul's mother, slipped in a Liverpudlian accent when upset.

"Fine," Paul told her, defeated. "But it was mine first anyway." He handed over something to the woman and she tutted disapprovingly, in a way that reminded Tessa of Mrs. Goode. Maybe it was just a mother's attribute.

"Your punishment is to bring yours and your brother's things inside," Paul's mother told him. "And you're to apologize when you next see him."

"That's not bloody fair!" Tessa heard Paul exclaim in disbelief. "He can carry his own things inside!"

"Language, Paul!" the woman exclaimed angrily. "Mind your manners! You're not quite grown up yet." With that final word, the woman walked off leaving Paul to take care of his things.

"But I will be someday," Tessa's newest neighbor-boy muttered under his breath. He vanished partially from her sight for a while which caused Tessa some minor panic. She didn't want him to leave, she was still waiting for the perfect opportunity to talk with him. It didn't sound as if he had a sister by the sounds of it though, only this 'Mike.'

Paul came back into view and almost directly in front of her, he stopped. Oh no, Tessa thought. He can't possibly see me can he?

Paul dropped the box he was carrying and Tessa briefly saw that it was full of clothes before squeezing her eyes tight.

If I close my eyes, she told herself, then he can't see me.

She counted to thirty before deeming it safe to open her eyes. What she saw was a big brown eye staring right back at her.

Tessa screamed and jumped back. Paul screamed and jumped back. They stood up and at the same time, shouted, what are you doing?

"What am I doing?" Paul exclaimed, brushing off dust from his shirt. "I was minding my own business until I noticed you spying on me. Why were you spying on me anyway?"

Tessa blushed furiously. "I wasn't spying," she defended herself. "I was just... curious."

The boy snorted and stuck out his hand. "Call it whatever you like. I'm Paul. Paul McCartney."

Tessa eagerly shook his hand. "I'm Tessa Goode," she all-but squealed. "Where did you move from?"

"Speke" he offered. "We travel a lot, but me mum says that this is permanent until I graduate, so that's good I guess."

"Oh," I said, trying not to sound too excited at the idea of a permanent play-mate. "I've lived here me whole life. Allerton's alright."

Paul was envious. "Lucky."

The pair chatted for a bit and found that they had a lot in common. They both liked music, but the difference there was that Tessa couldn't play and Paul played lots of instruments.

"Me dad was in a band," he told her. "They went by the name 'The Masked Players'. They originally went by a different name, but they got fired from the club under that name so when they went back to play again, they had to change it."

The pair also found that though Paul was a year above her, their brothers were the same age. "We should introduce them," Paul decided.

They chatted for a bit longer before his mother started to ask him what was taking so long. Paul rolled his eyes and turned back to Tessa.

"Sorry then, Tessa," he apologized. "Me mum would kill me if she found me talking to someone and having fun rather than doing me chores. Will I see you tomorrow?"

Tessa smiled when he said he was having fun. That sounded promising. "Yes," she told him definitely. "Do you want to meet here after lunch? I could show you around town."

Paul's eyes lit up. "That would be great!" he exclaimed. "I'd hate to get lost with school so close around the corner."

Before Tessa could respond, Mrs. McCartney saw them. "Paul!" she exclaimed. "Are you not doing what I asked?"

Paul rolled his eyes again. "No mum!" he shouted back at her. "I was just getting acquainted with the neighbors!"

"Well that's nice dear, but we really need to get everything inside. You can talk to your new friend tomorrow."

"Alright!" he called back at his mother. He then turned to Tessa and the two said their good-byes.

The next day at noon, when Paul and Tessa met again, Tessa came with strict instructions from her mother to invite the family over to dinner. Paul was ecstatic and ran inside briefly to tell his mother. She said yes and the pair went out to town.

At dinner, everyone got along well. The parents all found that they enjoyed talking to each other and couldn't stop laughing the whole night. After desert, when Tessa finally managed to excuse everyone, they all left the adults playing charades in the living room to talk in the den. Josie and Kathy sat in a corner talking to each other in low voices the whole night, eyeing Paul and Tessa mischievously.

Tessa, Paul, Mike and Charlie all got along rather well though. It didn't seem to matter that Tessa was the only girl in the game, they treated her all the same. They played pirates and knights and all sorts of fun games until the McCartney parents came in to tell Paul and Mike that it was time to go home.

The rest of the summer was spent in pure bliss for Tessa, who grew inseparable with Paul. Some of the time Mike and Charlie, who became good friends tagged along, but mostly it was just the two of them.

Even though the McCartney's didn't have a nine-year-old daughter named Bonnie, they did have what Tessa really wanted: a friend.

A/N: Yes, yes, cheesy I know. But I really felt like doing this and I think its kinda cute:)


End file.
